Previously, as a vision corrective therapy for such as myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism, a method in which a contact lense with a special shape worn during sleep corrects a cornea to the predetermined shape (Ortho-Keratology) has been known. The method has a problem that the corrected vision can be retained for a certain period after removal of the lense, the cornea, however, resumes thereafter its previous shape due to the corneal spring-back effect. In addition, a treating method called LASIK which removes a part of a cornea with laser beam is known. The method also has some problems, that is, it requests high surgical techniques from the operating ophthalmologist, it is highly risky and gives a large psychological burden.
Accordingly, the present inventor has proposed a new treating method which can reshape without injuring a cornea and restore vision and makes the reshaped cornea impossible to resume its previous shape due to the corneal spring-back effect, as well as an eyesight correcting apparatus (Patent Document 1). The apparatus comprises a cap-like cornea sucking member furnished with a slidably attached cornea pressure member, and an air sucking port and an ophthalmic solution injection port. The apparatus warms and softens the cornea with the predetermined method, then while sucking the cornea with sucking force caused through the air sucking port, corrects the cornea to the predetermined shape by the cornea pressure member, immediately thereafter quenches the cornea by introducing a cooling liquid through the ophthalmic solution injection port and thereby fixes the corneal shape.
Additionally, the present inventor has proposed a new eye mask which warms and softens a cornea as described above, also is effective for recovering from asthenopia and disordered ocular functions (Patent Document 2). This eye mask is provided with self-heating warming members in the mask body, as well as eye pads on the portions corresponding to the eyeball parts in which magnetic materials and vibrators are attached by insertion, and warms the eyeball to the predetermined temperature, and gives magnetic force and micro-vibration when needed.
Furthermore, as improved alternatives of the eyesight correcting apparatus and the eye mask described above, the present inventor has proposed a hand-type cornea corrective jig in which a head portion is warmed by a heating means, a cornea cooling jig which squirts a cooling fluid in a ring shape with a cylinder and a piston, an eye mask provided with eye pads which are filled with gelatinous materials at eye portions, and the like (Patent Document 3).    Patent Document 1: Japan Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-135511    Patent Document 2: Japan Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-93431    Patent Document 3: Japan Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-350803